As a business owner, there are tons of ways you can further your business and brand the DIY (do –it-yourself) route. We live in an unprecedented time of accessibility and leverage when it comes to technology and reaching an audience. Yet there comes a time for every business owner when the question arises – when is it time to invest money to market and get help?
I was honored to moderate a panel on this very topic for the BlogHer ’12 Conference in NYC last week. Here are key takeaways you must know.
Time = Money
You can guest post and do pro-bono work until the cows come home thinking they are all great free ways to market. Yet when you invest your time in something, you are by default investing money. When calculating whether “free” marketing is worth it, assign your regular hourly rate to the amount of time it takes you to complete the task. This is your inherent cost to engage in this marketing task. Choose wisely based on the return you seek.
You Can Only Grow So Far Without Investing
Every business gets to the point where you must invest if you want to grow. It is not IF, it is WHEN. Whether that investment comes in the form of hiring an assistant, coach, or consultant, you can only grow so far without making an investment in yourself and your business. It’s simply impossible to do it all yourself. You can guarantee that you will experience fear and resistance at this point. ALL of us have and will again. It’s ok. You’re in good company. Just know that the next step in your evolution lies just outside your comfort zone.
Think Outside the Traffic
Don’t get so wrapped up in building traffic to your website/blog and growing your list that you lose sight of what really matters – relationships. Your future clients and customers are not numbers or statistics on a Google analytics screen. They are people. Business is built on relationships – from strategic alliances to joint venture partners to prospects to current/future customers. It’s about the people. Build your marketing around engaging and reaching people in an authentic way. It is far better to have a smaller number of highly engaged visitors and prospects than a gargantuan number of people who aren’t listening.
Is it time for you to invest? Answer these questions for your specific situation
– Is it time to invest money to grow my business?
– If so, what type of support is appropriate?
Download the free self-quiz to assess this for yourself at http://bit.ly/mktgquiz
Wish you were in NYC with me? You can read the live blog from the panel of Paula Gregorowicz, Alli Worthington, Sarah W. Caron, and Lyz Lenz at https://www.blogher.com/when-its-time-spend-money-market-your-work.
Overwhelmed and befuddled by what type of support you need when? Or, if now is the time? Contact me for a no strings attached Intuitive Intelligence® Activation Session to gain clarity and a plan for your business.